How to Cook: Ramen

When it comes to Ramen people think there is two kinds; The cook Ramen Shop kind, and the gross (in comparison) one you make as home in the microwave when there is nothing else to eat.

But, I say that there is a third! It is the in-between Ramen. You make it at home in a short amount of time, and it tastes very good as well. I have pretty much always been a particular eater when it comes to ramen. I like it to be flavorful, the noodles to not be mushy, and the broth to not taste...starchy. So I came up with a method to make tasty, quick ramen for all of my MSG cravings!



You will need:

- A Pot with a Lid
- A Frying Pan
- A Fork and Chopsticks
- A Bowl for your Ramen


Ingredients:

- Ramen packs (depending on amount of people)
- Olive Oil
- 1 Egg (per person)
- Vegetable of Choice (Squash, Pumpkin, Soy Beans, Greens, mixed veggies, etc. Whatever you like best and have available. )
- Soy Sauce, Meme Sauce (optional), Seasoned Salt (or salt and pepper)
- Meat of choice - Shrimp, beef, chicken, etc. (optional)
- Kimchi or Hot Sauce (optional, for wimps)
- Seasoned Nori Strips (optional)

When it comes to cooking your ramen "fillings" there are many options. I like to have squash, soy beans, or some frozen mixed vegetables in mine. I will use left over meat bits, or thaw some shrimp at times as well. I always try to have egg with it, and I love to put Kimchi and the spicy liquid from Kimchi in mine.


First, fill the pot with water, about an inch from the top, cover it and place on a burner on Med-High.

The way that you make this quickly is that while the water is boiling you cook everything else needed, this also helps for people who have patience issues, when it comes to food, and stare at the pan the whole time (like myself). 

Get out the ramen packs you want to make and take out the solid squares and the packets, leaving the little scrap noodles in the wrappers. Then, set the noodles on top of the package, to keep it clean.

Like so.


(I am cooking for 3 people, with all these fillings you only really need one pack per person.)













Next, take the vegetables you want to put in the ramen and get them chopped or thawed. Take your frying pan and add about a Tablespoon each of Oil, Soy Sauce, and Meme (if you have it), and add about 1/2 Teaspoon Season Salt (or salt and pepper), and if applicable other seasonings you like.

 These are my favorite flavorings, they go well with the ramen so that the taste will "blend" when they are added together. 

(Yin-Yang?)

Coat the vegetables evenly with the liquid and cook them until tender. (I was making ramen for 3, once again, so there is a lot in my pan.)


Once the vegetables are finished, add the meat to the pan (add more of the sauce mixture if needed) and cook until hot, for leftovers, or...cooked, for raw.

Meanwhile, be keeping an eye on the water. Once it is at a rolling, rapid boil, add the noodles and be stirring apart with a fork (or chopsticks).


Keep the lid off, you are about to use it.












Stir them apart and keep the water on high, the water can stir them itself sometimes if the boil is right.

Add oil to the frying pan and crack your egg(or eggs) into it. Take the lid and "dome" the egg, this cooks it faster and gives an almost poached taste to the top of the fried egg (I called it "Froa-ched").

Once it has cooked a bit add some salt and Soy Sauce to the top, and cover again. Once it is cooked how you like it your noodles should be done!!

As for the noodles, they should be slightly undercooked. You want some chew to them still. Once they are a slight translucent color dump the water, and leave a little so they do not stick.










Now to construct the ramen!

Take out the amount of bowls as needed and empty one sauce packet into each. Add a sprinkle of Soy and Salt to each.

 (If you do not like the sauce packets, use 1/2 Teaspoon Bouillon instead.)

Add desired amount of Hot Water to the bowl. You can microwave it or heat it with a kettle, but I just go for the hottest degree of tap water (it's clean, I live in Colorado). The noodles will also heat the soup.

Stir it up!






Take the Nori, cut it into thin strips, and mix in the soup.

Take your Kinchi (or desired spicy sauce), for those of us who can handle the heat! Add that to the soup.


Do not add it if you are a wimp, and will breath fire like bowser if you add spice to it!

Add the Vegetables and stir.

Add the noodles and flip it all together. If you would like to add anything else, do that now.

Last, and certainly not least, add the egg to the top of the ramen, like a tasty crown!

And, Presto! Delicious ramen! 

Now, sit back, and enjoy your ramen! It is so much fun to tell people you are "just making ramen", and then put this in front of them! You will look pretty fancy! 

Enjoying the Noms of their labor, 

-C.A.M.

Navi Truffles

When thinking of fun recipes to make for party snacks I figured out that making truffle shaped like Fairies would be fun. Making them "Navi" would be even more fun, because what is more satisfying than finally being able to just eat (and hence destroy) the annoying fairy from Ocarina of Time! I am sorry to the "Navi Fan Club" out there, but she is annoying and the only part about OoT I dislike would have to be her incessant nagging... But, making her in food form was enjoyable, so let's get to it!

You will need:

- 1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk (14 Ounce)

- 2 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

- 11/2 Cups White Chocolate Chips

- 1 Tablespoon Shortening

- 24 or more Pretzels, regular shape, depending on how many you wish to make

- Blue or Green Sparkle Sprinkles

- Toothpicks (Optional)

For Cookware

- Wax or Parchment paper

- Spoons for mixing

- 2 Microwavable bowls, Small and Medium

- Bowl or plate for sprinkles

- Plastic or Cling Wrap

- Melon-baller, Tablespoon, or small metal spoon

As well as patience.

First, combine the Semi-Sweet Chocolate and the Sweetened Condensed Milk in the Medium bowl.  Microwave the mixture until the chocolate is melted.

The rules for melting chocolate in the microwave are!

Either use the "Melt Chocolate" setting, or set it to low heat.

Use short 1 minute heating and stir after each time.

Not doing this can scorch the chocolate so you must be careful!

Once it is melted and combined, cover in cling wrap and set in the fridge until it is solid. This can take from 1-4 hours, depending on how strong the fridge is.

Next, melt the white chocolate with the shortening in the small bowl.

Then, get out the desired amount of pretzels.

Dip the pretzels on both sides and lay on wax paper to cool. 

You can leave them whole, or carefully cut the bottom rim off to give them a more "Wingy" look.

This does not show them on wax paper, but I assure you that you need to use it. 

I did them both ways to show you.

Next, spread out your sprinkles and have them ready, you can lay them on a plate, in a bowl, whatever you would like.

Once the chocolate in the fridge has hardened enough, take it out and begin making round truffles with a melon-baller or a spoon. You want about a tablespoon for each one.

Once they are all formed, remelt the remaining white chocolate, if necessary, and lay out more wax paper.

Add a thin layer of white chocolate to each one, then roll them in the sprinkles and place on the wax paper to dry. Once you have formed the amount you would like, dab chocolate to the backs of the "Wings" and stick them to the "Body".

Repeat until you have made as many as you want and let them all sit on a counter or in the fridge. Once they are firm you may add toothpicks to the base, if you so desire.

These are very tasty as well as kawaii~!

Yes, the pretzels were not covered enough, I'm aware of this.

Additional Ideas!

You can also roll these in cocoa powder or powdered sugar for "regular" truffles.

You can also add clear sprinkles to the pretzels to make the whole thing sparkle!

Or, you could even melt a little chocolate, place in a ziplock bag, cut the tip, and make faces on them!

Also, you can try all kinds of plating like sticking in foam with toothpicks or any other creative way you would like!

I hope you will enjoy nomming, and hence silencing, Navi as much as I did! Who knew she was so tasty?

Enjoying the noms of their labor,

-C.A.M.

Fish and Bunny Shaped Dumplings

Sure, there are a lot of ways to use leftovers, but I have found a way to use them in a more...unique kind of way! You can make these dumplings with leftovers or new ingredients, it's really up to you in the end. I had leftover wonton wrappers from Thanksgiving and since I have always wanted to try making dumplings (or Pot Stickers") shaped like a fish I decided to try! Then I thought, "Might as well teach others how to do it...If it's successful."

Well it was, as successful and exciting as finally beating a Final Fantasy game after logging about 200 hours! So let's get started!

You will need:

-Wonton Wrappers

-A Frying pan with oil

-A large pot with a lid and a steamer (anything you can use to steam these with)

-A Medium sized bowl for filling

-A Cutting board

-A Sharp Knife

-An Egg and some water (for egg wash)

Filling for 12-16 Dumplings

- 1 Cup of any type of meat, canned or leftover (I used chicken, feel free to use whatever you want)

- 3 Cloves Garlic

- 2 Tablespoons Onion or 2-3 Shallots

- 1 Tablespoon fresh Ginger (optional, but preferred)

- 1/4 Cup each Vegetables (Carrot, Celery, Soy Beans, Peas, etc.)

-A round green vegetable for the eyes (soy beans or peas)

- 1-2 Tablespoons each of any combination of sauces you have (Soy sauce, Worcestershire, Meme, Ponzu, and Sriracha if you like spicy food)

Potstickers are like pizza, you can put whatever you like in them as long as you like it and it makes at least a little sense. These are things that I like so if you like different things then you can enjoy those instead.

Fill a large pot with water and a bit of salt and Soy Sauce. You want just a little bit of water to steam and not boil the dumplings, so the water level needs to be about a centimeter below the steamer. Put the steamer on top, set to Medium-Low heat, and cover.

While you are cooking, if it is for a long time, you want to keep refreshing the water level so that the water does not run out and burn into the pan. I would say to add about 1/4 cup every 20 minutes or so once the water is boiling.

If you do not have a way to steam these you can try just microwaving them for about 5-10 minutes (until the skins are becoming clear) with a little bit of water, covered somehow. But I do not really recommend that method...

Prep your frying pan with the oil, but do not turn it on until you set the first round of dumplings in the steamer.

You want to mince your garlic onion, and ginger very fine, press it if possible.

Next mince the vegetables of your choice. I would say that you can put in the Peas or Soybeans you will be using for the eyes, so as not to waste them. You can also buy a pack of frozen chopped vegetables and thaw them, that will also work. Then you can take the peas out for as many fish and/or bunnies you plan to make.

Add those to the bowl with the Garlic, Onion, and Ginger.

Next mince up your meat or open the can. I advise you to not use...I really do not see that ending too well... If you are not using meat then you will obviously skip this step.

Next, add the sauces you have to taste. I used Meme, Soy Sauce, and Worcestershire (I hate spelling that word SO much!).

Mix that all up and get ready to stuff some dumplings!

Next mix up some egg wash in a small bowl. Mix the egg with a splash of water and you're done!

Add a spoonful of the filling to each wrapper right in the middle.

Depending on how fat you want your animals is how much you want to add.

Apply the egg wash around the whole wrapper.

Now the rest depends on what you want to make!

~Fish~

Seal the dumpling right in the middle making a ridge sticking up, like a fin, leaving the ends unsealed.

Seal one end completely flat.

Then pinch it down the middle to form the tail.

Next you want to seal the dough together but not flat like the other end, leaving the middle open. Like this:

Use your fingertips to form the eyes by sticking one or two inside and then pinching down in-between.

They should look a like this in the end.

This is where the "eyes" are going to go.

~Bunny~

Fill and seal the middle like you do on the fish, but press down the ridge so that your bunny has no dorsal fin...

Flatten the end, again like the fish, and then fold the ends on each other to form a triangle.

Flatten down the other end, but have the folds be slightly apart from each other, so it comes out more like a triangle than a square. You want a space in between the "ears"

Then fold the section up and against the middle and form the ears to your liking.

They should look like this.

Next press little divots under the ears so the eyes have a place to stick into.

~Regular~

If you are boring you can just seal the whole thing along the top and make them "normal".

To Cook

Place your dumplings in the steamer 2-5 at a time and cook covered for about 5 minutes, or until the skins are a little translucent.

Turn on the frying pan while these are cooking.

Then fry the bottoms until golden brown and crispy, about 3-5 minutes depending on how how the pan is.

For the Bunny dumplings you want to hold the ears up after they are steamed and they are in the pan, so they do not stick to the body.

You probably want long chopsticks so you do not get burned....

Once they are cooked remove them from the pan (duh) and add the eyes.

Like I said before, any round vegetable will work, green works well.

These are both Kawaii and Oishii!!

(....Cute and Delicious....)

Repeat until you run out of filling, wrappers, or time!

And there you have it! Shaped, or unshaped for weirdos, dumplings!

I hope you enjoy!

Enjoying the noms of their labor,

-C.A.M.